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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G.M.MOWBRAY. 4 MACHINE FOR THE CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURE OF NITROGELLULOSE.

PatentedAug; 12, 1890.

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No. 434,288. Patented Aug. 12,1890.

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.G. M. MOWBRAY.

MACHINE FOR THE CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURE OF NITRO GELLULOSE.

No. 434,288. Patented Aug. 12, 1890.

m: NORRIS yarns co, PHOTO-URL, wAsuma'ron, n. c.

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE M. MOWVBRAY, OF NORTH ADAMS,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN ZYLONITE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,N. Y.

MACHINE FOR THE CONTlNUOUS MANUFACTURE OF- NITRO-CELLULOSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,288, dated August12, 1890.

Application filed July 8,1889. Serial No. 316,869- NO model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. MOWBRAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at North Adams, in the county of Berkshire and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines forthe Continuous Manufacture of Nitrolellulose or Pyroxyline, of which thefollowing is a specification.

In the manufacture of nitrocellulose or pyroxyline compoundssuch aszyloniteby the intermittent processes usually practiced in the art manydistinct manipulations are necessary and the careful and constant attention of a large number of skilled workmen demanded, Which involvesconsiderable expense in the production of the material.

The object of my invention is to reduce the cost of manufacture bydispensing with many of the workmen and attendants heretofore required;to improve the product; to uninterruptedly manufacture the material froma continuous Web of cellulose paper, and economically and efficientlyproduce the material ready for further manipulation. I aocomplish thisby the mechanism hereinafter described and claimed, reference being madeto the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1, 2, and 3 are brokensectional elevations of portions of the apparatus,which, taken togetherin the order mentioned, com: prise the complete mechanism. Fig. 4 is adetail view showing a modification of the solvent-distributing devices.

To enable others skilled in the art to use my invention, I will nowdescribe the same in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings,where Numerals 1, 2, and 3 indicate overhanging counter-shafts belted tothe shafts 4, 5, and 6, which, respectively, drive the web-roll shaft 7,the compression-roll 8, and the distributing-cylinder 9. The frame 10,in which the drive-shaft 4 and web-roll 7 are mounted, is provided witha series of hollow drying-cylinders 12, arranged one above the other andwarmed in any suitable manner, and between the said cylinders and thecompression-rolls 8 and 13 is a tank 14 for containing the acid bath ofsulphuric and nitric acid, properly ous cellulose sheet intonitro-cellulose or pyroxyline. A coil of pipe 15 is fixed within theacid-tank and at 16 is connected with a steam-pipe 17' and water-pipe 18for controlling the temperature of the bath, as occasion demands. Aguide-roll19 and sheet-support ing roll 20, having a doctor 21, aremounted upon or adjacent to the receiving end of the tank and near thecompression-rolls, and between the latter and a drying-chamber 22 aresituated a series of -water-containing washingtanks 23, located side byside and each having at its receiving end a sheet-sustaining roller 24,all simultaneously rotated in the same direction by belt or similarconnection with the compressionrroll shaft 5 or otherwise. 1

At a point between the shaft 6 and the drying-chamber 22 is a trough ortank 25, containing the liquid acting as solvent, which is distributedupon the traveling web by means of the revolving distributing-cylinder9, which may be smooth or engraved, as described. The drying-chambercontains an upper and a lower series of rollers 27, around which passesa series of endless traveling tapes 28 for drawing and conducting thenitrated web through the drying-chamben The tapes are caused tocontinuously travel in any suitable manneras, for example, by

tributing cylinder 9, as shown at 29, said distributing-cylinder beingpreferably rotated by a belt or other connection with the shaft 6.

The web-delivering roll 7 is supported by boxes adapted to movevertically in slots 30 of the frame 10 directly above the drivingshaftat, and on this shaft or otherwise suitably placed is a web-perforator,composed of a cylinder 31, having its periphery supplied withneedle-pointed or lan'cet-tipped pins or cutters for pricking orperforating the cellulose sheet in its passage to the acid bath, so asto give greater surface to and more complete penetration of the acids.

The web receiving and winding cylinder 32 may be tubular 0r hollow andsuitably supported to be rotated by the shaft 6.

I do not confine myself to any particular mixed together for convertingthe continubelting one of the rollers to the solvent-dismeans forapplying the solvent bath and winding the web into a roll, as othercontrivances for these purposes will be suggested to those skilled inthe art. The adherent acid removed by the compression-rolls can bereturned to the acid-tank or be received into a suitable vessel 33,located beneath the compression-rolls, to be conveyed by gravity througha pipe-connection 34 to a spent-acid tank.

The sheet-sustaining rollers 24 on the washing-tanks are preferablycovered with acidresisting felt or like material and rubber, or rubberalone. By the coil in the acid-tank the temperature of the acids may beraised or lowered.

If desired, suitable pigments may be applied with the solvent either bygrinding or mixing such pigments with the solvent or by coloring-matterdissolved in the solvent.

In practice the motion of the. overhanging shafts is transferred to theshafts 4, 5, and 6, and a rolled web 35 of unsized cellulose tissuepaperis mounted on the hollow web-roll shaft 7, so that the web gravitatesupon it, is rotated by contact with the rotating perforator 31, whichpricks recesses or perforates one or more thicknesses of the fine paperon the roll. The web passes to the uppermost drying-cylinder 12, andalternately between such cylinders to the lowermost one, from whence itpasses to the acid-tank over the rollers 19 and 20 and under the doctor21. At the com mencement of the operation two attendants, one on eachside of the tank and each carrying a light rod, guide or direct the webfrom the rollers 19 20 to the farther end of the acidtank, and thusassist in suitably immersing the web, so as to place the same in theposition shown by the irregular up-and-down looped lines of thedrawings, this service being useful in preventing entanglement of theoutgoing portion of the web with the portions following. That portion ofthe paper immersed in the acid bath remains at rest therein from twelveto twenty minutes, so that the first portions immersed become nitrated.Subsequently to this the continuous web moves into the bathsimultaneously with the removal of the nitrated portion, the removal orwithdrawal taking place at a speed nearly uniform with the speed thatthe paper moves into the bath. The nitrated part of the web moves fromthe tank over a guide-roll to the compression-rolls 8 and 13, which areacted upon by doctors and compress the excess of adherent acid from thenitrated paper, which excess, as before stated, may be received intothevessel 33 and returned to the tank or carried. to a spent-acid tankby the attendant operating a stop-cock in the pipe 34. The nitratedpaper now passes into and through the water contained in thewashing-tanks 23 by means of the web-sustaining roll 24, the surpluswater being removed by doctors as the paper leaves the last tank, fromwhence the nitrated web passes to the carrying-tapes 28, which carry thepaper around the rolls 27 in the drying-chamber 22. The nitrated pa perbeing less absorbent than ordinary paper, the very light film ofmoistureon its surface may be removed in a great measure by being brought intocontact with an absorbent surface, and finally evaporates in thedryingchamber, the latter being well ventilated. As shown, the endlesscarrying-tapes,which leave the web at the rollers 36, run outside thedrying-chamber to the point of entrance to resume their function ofcarrying the continuous web of washed nitrated paper through thedrying-chamber until the entire rolled web is exhausted. The washednitrated web proceeds over the solvent distributing-cylinder 9, which asit revolves in the solventtrough touches the liquid and the smooth orengraved surface of the'cylinder applies to the web the correct quantityof liquid. This being effected, the web, which is converted .intonitrocellulose or pyroxyline and uniformly supplied with solvent, iswound upon the hollow cylinder 32 or received into a box in which thesolvent diffuses thoroughly through the mass.

The speed at which the web is caused to travel is under control of theattendant by any suitable means which govern the move ment of the motoror the drive-shafts, and hence the time of immersion of the web in theacid bath can be varied by increasing or diminishing the speed of theweb.

In Fig. t I exhibit a modification of the solvent-distributing devices,where two rolls 37, arranged, respectively, in front and rear of thesolventdistributing cylinder 9, are mounted at each end in an arm 38,engaged by a screw 39, adapted to be rotated to raise or lower the arm,and thereby adjust the rolls 37 relatively to the surface of thecylinder for decreasing and increasing the pressure of the nitrated web35 on the cylinder, and thus in a measure controlling the amount ofsolvent applied.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a machine forthe conversion of cellulose paper into nitro-cellulose, the combina tionof a series of drying-cylinders for drying a continuous web of cellulosepaper, an acid containing tank for receiving the dried web from thecylinders and converting the same into nitro cellulose, and compression-rolls which draw the nitrated web from the acidcontaining tank andremove the adhering acid, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for the conversion of cellulose paper intonitro-eellulose, the combination of a series of drying-cylinders fordrying a continuous web of cellulose paper, an acidcontaining tank forreceiving the dried paper from the cylinders and converting the sameinto nitro-cellulose, the compression-rolls which draw the nitrated webfrom the acid containing tank and remove the adhering acid, and a tankor vessel located under the ICC compressionrolls for receiving the acidremoved from the nitrated paper, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for the conversion of cellulose paper intonitro-cellulose, the combination of a shaft carrying a rolled web ofcellulose paper, a perforator for pricking the traveling web, a seriesof drying-cylinders, and an acid-containing tank, which receives thedried cellulose paper from the drying-cylinder and converts the sameinto nitro-cellulose, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for the manufacture of nitro-cellulose, the combinationof a perforator for pricking a oontinuoustraveling web of cellulosepaper, cylinders for drying the traveling paper, an acid-containing tankthrough which the web passes, and compression-rolls receiving thenitrated web from the acid-tank, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for the manufacture of nitro-cellulose or pyroxyline thecombination of a drying-chamber and tapes and rolls for drying acontinuous web of nitrated paper, and a roll serving as asolvent-distributer for applying the liquid acting as a solvent to thetraveling web, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for the manufacture of nitro-cellulose, the combinationof a dryingchamber, a rotating solvent-distributer for applying thesolvent to the nitrated web, and a rotated cylinder for Winding the webinto a roll as it leaves the. solvent-distributer, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a machine for the manufacture of nitro-cellulose, the combinationof a dryingchamber and tapes and rolls for drying a continuous sheet ofpyroxyline, a solvent-distributer which applies the solvent to the webas the latter emerges from the drying-chamber, and a hollowwinding-cylinder adapted to be heated internally, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a machine for the manufacture of nitro-cellulose or pyroxyline,the combination of the drying-chamber, the endless traveling 5 tapesentering and emerging from the drying chamber for carrying a continuousweb of nitrated paper, and a rotating solvent-distributer, substantiallyas described.

9. In a machine for the manufacture of nitro-cellulose, the combinationof. the acid-. containing tank, the compression-rollers, the Water-tankshaving attheir upper portions the web-sustaining rolls, thedrying-chamber, through which the nitrated web passes from thewater-tanks, and means for drawing said web through the drying-chamber,substantially as described.

10. In a machine for the manufacture of nitro-cellulose, the combinationof a series of drying-cylinders, an acid-containing tank which receivesthe dried paper from the drying-cylinders and converts it intonitro-cellulose, the washing-tanks through which the nitratedweb passesfrom the acid-containing tank, and means for drawing the web through theacid and washing tanks, substantially as described.

11. In a machine for the conversion of cellulose paper intonitro-cellulose or pyroxyline, the combination of a shaft for the rolledweb of cellulose paper,a perforator for the paper, drying-cylinders fordrying the paper, an acid-containing tank which receives the dried Webfrom the drying-cylinders and converts it into nitro-cellulose, thecompressionrollers, the washing-tanks, the drying-chamber, meanst'orcarrying the nitrated paper through the drying-chamber, asolvent-distributer, and a winding-cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

GEO. M. MOWBRAY.

Witnesses:

H. SIDDONS MOWBRAY, FRANCIS B. BAXTER.

